About Sun and Wing

How I Fell for "Vegetable Ivory"

Let me tell you how Sun and Wing started. It was pure obsession—the kind that hits you when you find something totally unexpected and amazing.

I was wandering through a cool little boutique one day and spotted these stunning pieces of jewelry. The material was incredible: smooth, super solid, and it had this gorgeous, swirly, marbled grain. It honestly looked and felt like high-end ivory, but it was way more vibrant and colorful. I bought a few pieces on the spot and instantly went down the rabbit hole. I had to know what this material was.

Turns out, it’s a Tagua nut, and it’s a game-changer.

The Crazy-Cool Story Behind the Nut

My deep dive quickly led me to a mind-blowing article on BBC.com about a guy named Onno Heerma van Voss in Ecuador. His story is everything I want Sun and Wing to be about.

Onno runs a business exporting Tagua, and he calls himself a "forced ecologist." Basically, the demand for this stuff was so huge, he got into it, and in the process, realized he was doing some serious good.

Here’s the short version of the good:

• It’s Saving Elephants: Tagua is nicknamed "vegetable ivory" because it’s the perfect, ethical alternative to animal ivory. Choosing Tagua literally helps reduce the demand that funds poaching. Onno was just happy to be saving elephants!
• It's Fair Trade: His company works directly with local Ecuadorian artisans, giving them reliable work and fair pay. This supports their families and helps keep traditional craftsmanship alive.

• It Saves the Rainforest: The best part? Tagua is harvested totally sustainably. The farmers just wait for the seed pods to naturally fall to the forest floor. They never have to cut down the palm trees. This gives the local communities an income stream that depends on keeping the rainforest healthy and standing.

Why We Do What We Do

That is the Sun and Wing mission in a nutshell (pun intended!).

When you pick up one of our pieces, you're getting more than just a gorgeous, unique accessory. You're supporting a story of:

• Sustainable Style (no harm to the planet).
• Fair Pay (empowering amazing artisans).
• Guilt-Free Glamour (a 100% ethical alternative to ivory).

Every Tagua slice is a one-of-a-kind piece of nature’s art. We are thrilled to share it with you. Thanks for stopping by!